Calgary

Well, I am off to Calgary on Tuesday evening. We're taking the overnight bus. One of my friends there has the same birthday as Martha (Feb 11) and so she bought us tickets to come and help her with her townhouse renovations. I am going with Drew and Rhiannon. First I am visiting my other friend (Ronni) until the 10th when I am going over to Sheila's house. Sheila works for the Calgary Sun who sponsors a lot of sporting events. So she was going to take Andrew to the Calgary Flames Game on the 9th (playing the Mighty Ducks) but then she was able to get the publisher's seats and 6 tix. So we are all going - Drew, Rhiannon, Ronni and her daughter and me. We get a parking pass and we get like the best seats. Too bad it is to see a hockey game. Everyone else is looking forward to it but I am dreading it. I am afraid I will be cold and bored. I've never actually been to an NHL game... Would it be too rude to bring a book? Sheila is a hockey fanatic. Like she even has her tv room painted orange and black (she is a flyers fan) and had me crochet her a black and orange toque and she only gets cable during hockey season. I haven't watched a hockey game since I left home and I don't miss it.

On the bright side, Ronni lives right across from a great Value Village. And we are going to the zoo during the day on the 9th or 10th with other friends in Calgary. (It seems I have a lot of friends in Calgary...) I am looking forward to the zoo. And maybe we will try to get in Science World. And I hope to get to the Gap outlet store to get Drew some jeans for cheap. He just grows too darn fast and he also wears out his pants. It seems like I buy them, I turn around and there are holes in them - big holes - slashes across the knee. Why do boys like throwing themselves on the ground? Why? I remember when Drew was little and everytime he kicked the soccer ball in a game it would be a shot where he threw himself on the ground. It took me awhile to convince him that it might actually be a better idea to kick the ball more than once while in the upright position. Myself, I could never play a game that required me to throw my body on the ground. Basketball for me. No volleyball or soccer or baseball.

Anyways, I am not sure if I will have time to write much before I go. I'll try. And once I am there, neither Sheila nor Ronni have a computer at home. So...

Ski Update

Well, I did it. And my knee is okay. I was very scared in the beginning. I did not have to bend it or twist it in anyway that was uncomfortable for me. It was fun. Okay, it would have been alot more fun without Rhiannon... But it was fun and we will do it 3 more times. She did pretty good for her first time. Although I am doubting conventional wisdom that suggests cross country for the first time on skis. I think downhill skis are a lot easier to control than those long, skinny cross country skis. We'll do downhill next year. However, although I was able to do it (although I was moving at snail paces along with Rhiannon and her friend) my right leg/knee is so much weaker than my left that I couldn't actually move the ski to stop. Luckily you can stop using just one leg. It was weird though - my mind telling my muscles to do something and they just can't - I know I am trying as hard as I can but there is no movement... And hey, I only fell down once (although I had to take off one ski to get back up...) Drew had a blast and boarded for the maximum time possible. I would really like to be able to afford a pass and equipment for him. Rhiannon and I just hung out until he was done. Maybe next time I can get Dean to come and help with Rhiannon and then I could ski by myself for a bit. That would be nice.

Skiing

Well, I am going skiing today. This will be the first time that I am going skiing since before I was pregnant with Rhiannon - so since 1998. It is the first time I am going skiing since injuring my knees. I am only going cross country skiing - something I disdainfully dismissed as 'too much like work' before. I don't think my knees could take down hill where your knees act as shock absorbers for your body. I have organized the ski program for the homeschooling group so I don't actually have to pay for myself, which is nice. I am taking cross country lessons with Rhiannon while Andrew boards. I am excited and scared. I am scared I will get out there and it will hurt too much or I will be required to move my knee in ways that I can't. I really hope it works. A woman was telling me that she had a knee injury and that by cross country skiing she was able to rehab her knee enough so that she could run again... I would really like that! I'll let you know how it goes.

Today I Ran

Today (well, it is really yesterday, now - having another of those nights) I ran. This may not be significant to you able kneed people but to me significant. They say I will never run and they say I shouldn't run. The big reason is because of the huge build up of scar tissue inside my knee that when I run, the impact cuts off the blood circulation and thus endangers my transplant. However, I just can't accept this. I love running. Not running like Katie or Laura or Sarah or any of you other long distance runners. I love running full out, sprinting. I was fast in my day (not as fast as Sarah, of course). But I used to win all the races at the pioneer day picnics in Fort George Park. I can still remember running bare foot with through the grass as fast as I could. Later, in high school, I never came in first - lots of seconds and thirds. But I still loved that feeling.

Anyway, today I ran. We were hurrying to catch the bus to make it out to a bird sanctuary tour for our homeschooling group. So I ran this funny kind of joggy thing that is anything but graceful. My right leg refused to go heel first but goes toe first. I think my ankle is compensating for my knee - absorbing the shock at least a little, on behalf of my knee. Very kind of my ankle but not very pretty. But the feeling of running, my elevated heart rate, my muscles working hard and fast like that (well, they were working faster). It has been sooooo long since I was able to run that evern running for 1 minute (which is all I did at a time) was such an effort. I kept thinking of when it was not such an effort. I want to be able to run. Really run. I don't want to run a marathon but I would like to be able to work up to running 30 minutes again. I liked how 'in shape' my body felt then. Will I ever be able to? I need to get one of those mini trampoline things. The physio says I can start running in place on one of those.

Reflections on the Election (hey! that rhymes)... I'm such a geek!

Well, in the end, I couldn't do it. I couldn't vote strategically. I had to vote with my heart, for the candidate that I wanted to send to Ottawa. And actually everyone I know who was also debating about voting strategically also voted with their hearts. I just couldn't vote for the liberal guy. I couldn't stand the guy running in our area and I also think the Liberals need a break from running the country. You just can't have that many big scandals and keep going. I didn't want to vote out of fear, either. In the end, it was the usual Conservative sweep of the entire Okanagan Valley from Penticton to Vernon (3 ridings). But at least I am comfortable with how I voted.

Upon reflecting on the results, I do think that it turned out for the best. The Liberals needed to get out of power. I am glad that it is a minority government. I am glad that the NDP picked up more seats - especially in BC. (did you notice that Terrace went NDP?) (probably not) I am glad because I think we need balance. I think that it is time we changed our adversarial system. I think we should have all minority governments and that they should have to work together - more of a concensus approach. I think we need every view to make the best decisions and to truly represent the entire country. You have to remember that democracy was developed in Athens which was a CITY state - not a huge, huge country. It is challenging to unify our vast country. I was also glad to see the Conservatives pick up seats in Quebec. If those rednecks in Quebec are going to vote for the right, I'd rather they voted for a nationalist party. With the way parliament is, I don't think that Harper will do anything extreme. It should be an interesting couple of years. I hope he lasts longer than Joe Clark.

Watching all the results come in and listening to all the commentary led me to think of the innate sexism still bubbling under the surface. Like the NDP getting the most seats since Ed Broadbent was the leader. . . Who were the leaders between Broadbent and Layton? 2 women. Alexa McDonough and Audrey McLaughlin. I don't really think the party has changed that much. I think people have an easier time trusting a man to run the country than a woman. And why is that? Most women handle the finances and run their homes... It's weird but I have to agree that for some reason, I do too on some deep, unconscious level. (although in my own defence, I did vote for a woman in this and the last election) Although I really admired Alexa and I thought she was very wise about somethings. And then Kim Campbell came on last night commenting on the election from Madrid (first Conservative government since she was booted uncerimoniously out). I thought she was extremely bright and intelligent and had some astute observations about the election and the challenges that lie ahead. Yet when she was Prime Minister the PC party lost official party status. Of course a lot of that had to do with Mulroney's antics but still. I am wondering if some of it has to do with the fact that she is a woman. I liked the guts of Sheila Copps - how she wasn't afraid to stand up for what she believed in and get down and dirty and tough with 'the boys'. And look what happened to her. Paul Martin jetisonned her like yesterday's trash. Of course there are other factors that come into all those things but I think that there is still some systemic sexism in us Canadians. I think one of the big reasons there are less women in Ottawa than men is because we would rather have mostly men. I think if the tables were turned overnight by magic and all the men were women and all the women were men, I think it would be very threatening. I think it would take us awhile to get used to all those women having so much power. Think of it. Really. Be honest.

Snoring and Voting

The sleep saga continues. Last night I went to bed right after I put Rhiannon to bed. I was fast asleep before 8pm. But.... Rhiannon didn't wake me up this night. In my dream, Drew was snoring very loudly and I kept trying to wake him up to get him to stop snoring. In the end, I was really angry at him for not waking up and still snoring and then I was awake and the snoring continued as Dean snored a very loud snore right in my ear. I poked him until he rolled over muttering "I can't help it" or maybe I said something like "Roll over for heaven's sake!" Yah, maybe it was something like that... That was at 1:45am. And then I laid there until 2:15 at which time I knew my mind was so wide awake it was not going back to sleep. It was starting to plan my blog so here I am. I actually got quite a lot done in the wee hours yesterday morning and I didn't run out of energy - even went for a hike with a friend in the afternoon. But by 6pm, I was toast. I kept falling asleep while I was reading to Rhiannon. Again, she was not impressed.

Now, today is the day we vote. I am in a quandry. I don't know who to vote for. I heard someone on CBC who described themselves as being non-partisan and he claimed that he had voted for every major party at one time or another. That describes me perfectly. I am non-partisan. Somewhere inbetween the McLeans who vote NDP on principle and think it is the morally right thing to do and Dad who votes whatever is the farthest right party at the time (PC, Reform, Alliance and now Conservative) on principle and thinks it is the morally right thing to do. I have voted for all the major parties and the Green Party as well. I am very situational. I am loyal to no party. Last time I voted NDP. Would I vote NDP if I didn't live in the Okanagan full of rednecks. It has been well more than a decade (and probably much longer than that) since anyone who didn't represent the extreme right got in around here. I have worked with too many of the disadvantaged and seen their potential and seen the complete lack of support in their lives to agree with the Conservative's platform. I don't want Stephen Harper to be the next Prime Minister. I don't want to go to war. I would do almost anything to make sure that my son didn't have to go to war. Not to mention that I think war is wrong and in the long run only begets more war. I think it is about time we started thinking up some different solutions to solving our differences... I also think that we need to do Kyoto and that we need to honour agreements made with First Nations. But how can one vote for the Liberals? The Liberal candidate in our riding could really be a conservative if our conservative party wasn't so very far to the right. I liked the old Progressive Conservatives. I liked Joe Clark (not so fond of NAFTA and Brian Mulroney) and Jean Charest. I think that voting NDP will just be throwing my vote away. I don't really believe that the Okanagan will EVER send an NDP candidate to Ottawa. I think the Liberal guy has a chance and I want to stop Stephen Harper. But I don't like the Liberal guy and I don't really want him representing me in Ottawa. So I can't decide. Maybe I will vote NDP and send my own private little message to whoever gets in, "Andrea wants you to lean a little more towards the left - be kind to poor people, think of the environment, don't go to war." Anyways, my conundrum. How will I vote?

More about Sleep Deprivation

Well, I just can't win, it seems. I went to bed on Friday night at 9pm. I could hardly stay awake that late! I kept dozing off while Rhiannon read a book to me... she was rather annoyed. Then she woke up at 11 and I had to get up and put her back to bed. I slept then until 7am. But being woken up just 2 hours after I fell into an exhausted sleep just wrecked it. I was tired anways. It would have been better to stay up until 11 and then have 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. It is the interruptions that get to me.

Then I went to bed last night at 10:30. Rhiannon crawls into bed with me sometime. I barely notice and keep on sleeping. Then my son! plays music loudly on the computer at 2:30am. The computer is right below me. I had to get up and come downstairs and tell him to turn off the computer and go to bed and threaten to move his bedroom back upstairs if he pulls stunts like this (staying up all night). I put Rhiannon back in her own bed.

I lie in bed. I lie in bed. I lie in bed.

I turn on the light and try reading to put me to sleep. I turn off the light.

I lie in bed. I lie in bed.

I turn on the light and write in my journal all the thoughts that are rattling around in my head. I turn off the light.

I lie in bed. I lie in bed.

I give up on sleep and come down and work on the computer planning the classes and working on the promo for classes at the Inner World School. So now it is 5:30 and I have not been back to sleep. Right now I am not tired but I am frustrated. I know that I will 'hit the wall' as it were. Sigh. At least I have not wasted my time. I had such ambitious plans for today. Now I am worried I will be too tired and I will just peter out. Well at least you got an update!

Sleepless in Vernon...

Snow, Snow, Snow

Well, we got an unpredicted dump of snow last night. The kids are happy. And it is close to 0 so the roads are not too bad. I am having a rather lazy day. I am tired. I am exhausted by Rhiannon's renewed drive to sleep in my bed, crammed up against me. I don't know how people do it. I just loved it so much when she was sleeping through the night in her own bed. Sweet sleep. Mom always told me how much I needed sleep from the time I was a wee baby. I DO need my sleep. 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep guarantees a happy and energized Chick.

I went to the dollar store and stocked up on new and interesting prizes for sleeping on ones own bed. I can hope can't I? I was going to say dream but it somehow seemed inappropriate.... I think I will make scrambled eggs for dinner with toast of home made bread.

That reminds me. I made the best cinnamon buns that I have EVER made. I have made the recipe before but they never turned out this well. I wish I knew what it was that made these ones so good. The rose perfectly and they were light and sweet and sticky and delicious!

Well, I know this is a boring post but I feel boring. I'm tired (whine). Just so you know...

More on the Mermaid Chair

Here is a review from www.reviewsofbooks.com that says it very well. I found the book very symbolic and deep and very inspiring in my own relationship with my husband. I love Sue Monk Kidd's women in her novel. There is great commaraderie (however you spell that), unconditional love, support, loyalty and wisdom in their friendships.

"The Mermaid Chair is set on a tiny island off the coast of South Carolina, where a monastery has a chair carved with mermaids and dedicated a saint who was supposedly once a mermaid. Jessie Sullivan leaves behind her husband to come back home to this island after her mother's violent and unexplained self-mutilation. Jessie finds herself relieved to be without her husband and also finds herself falling for Brother Thomas, a Benedictine monk about to take his final vows. Jessie embarks on a period of self-discovery while the secret of her father's death decades before appears to hold the key to her mother's actions. Sue Monk Kidd's second novel (after The Secret Life of Bees) has received mixed reviews with BookPage saying, "Reconciling the spiritual with the human, The Mermaid Chair is a captivating metaphorical and sensual journey into one woman's soul." "

Book Report

Well, since Christmas I have read several novels. It is my time of the year to do such reading. I've forced myself to read some I really didn't care for but I have also read some really good ones! I read "The Mermaid Chair" by Sue Monk Kidd and I really, really loved it. I was so inspired by the book. It filled my heart with good feelings for my husband and our marriage. I really appreciate it when a book uplifts me. That is the same author of "The Secret Life of Bees" that I read on the bus going home from Nanaimo after the sisters bike hike (Laura! Where is your account?!)

Last night I finished reading Peace Like a River that Laura recommended earlier. It took that long for me to get it from the library. There was a looong line up for it. I really enjoyed it, too. I enjoyed the faith of the book and the power of the father. I also really enjoyed the writing style of the author. You know, it reminded me of Laura's style of writing. Several times I could imagine that she would describe it that way. I'm not sure exactly what it was... the sentence structure and the often tongue-in-cheek way of looking at things, especially himself. Anyway, if you haven't read it, I recommend it.

It snowed all day yesterday but not much of it stuck. In fact by 5pm, although it had snowed for hours, you could still see the grass. Rhiannon was very discouraged as she really wanted to take out her sled and crazy carpet again (for the second time only). When we left for piano lessons she commanded the heavens to snow real snow! When we came out of piano lessons an hour later, a good 2 inches were covering everything. She quickly ate dinner and went out sledding with Daddy and Drew. I let her stay up late to do so as it is supposed to be +6 today so that snow won't be here long. Weird weather we're having this winter. She fell asleep within minutes of getting home. Couldn't even stay awake for the cinnamon buns I had in the oven.

It was Dean's birthday on Jan 14. He's 44. A good number, I think. We had his birthday dinner on Sunday when he got home from Golden where he had been playing for the week end. He had ordered lasagne so that's what I made along with brocolli and cauliflower with cheese and cesaer salad and ice cream cake for dessert. He loved it. That's what matters, I guess.

Update

Well, time for an update. I have been hard at work yesterday and today on Rhiannon's bedroom. For those of you who haven't been here, my home has not been updated since the early 1970's. It has the original carpeting, panelling, etc.

So, over Christmas Kaetlyn moved down to Erin's vacated room. So yesterday we moved Rhiannon into Kaetlyn's old room (going to be my sewing room) so we could work on her room. We tore the wallpaper off and then washed the paper off. Rhiannon and her friend helped to rip off all the wallpaper. Dean and Drew helped me get all the paper backing stuff off. I have basically spent today getting the glue off of the walls. Whew. My eyes feel funny - I think it is the glue... Wow! Was that glue ever ON there. I washed the walls with various solutions suggested on the internet, finishing up with TSP. I washed twice with TSP. Total, I have washed the walls 5 times. My arms are sore. My feet are sore. I am sure my back and side will be sore. But... the walls are clean. When I am done here I will have a bath and get dressed (I am still in my jammies - this was a morning project...) and fill the holes in the walls.

So, that has consumed me since yesterday. I like what dramatic changes you can make with simply a lot of your own effort. I babysit a girl whose mom works at the paint store so I get staff prices on everything I need.

I have a New Years goal - a fun one. I want to try a new recipe out of my Betty Crocker cookbook everyday. I was thinking - why do I always make the same bread recipe? Why not make this one with sundried tomatoes and kalamata olives? I sundried a bunch of tomatoes and haven't used any. Why not now? I'll let you know what works!

Oh yah, and I was actually on the front page of the newspaper today. Hilarious! Check it out here: http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/ - go down to the dog days one.

Recipe Update

For the first recipe (black bean and sausage soup) I use 'Freybe Chicken and Turkey Sausages' which are really more like smokies. In fact they are in the section with the smokies and pepperoni and stuff like that in Save On Foods (I've never been able to find them any where else). There are several different seasonings (flavours?). The Mexican one is quite spicey (I like it, the kids don't). I've tried all the different ones and they are all good with the soup. I've also made it with turkey smokies when there were none of the Freybe Sausages.

Slow Cooker Recipes

Here are the promised slow cooker recipes - somewhat later than originally promised...

This one is my family's favourite of all time (and I created it myself!)

Sausage & Black Bean Soup
1 package of turkey sausage or smokies
1 large box of fat free, reduced sodium chicken broth
1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 small zucchini, shredded
1 lg can of diced canned tomatoes
1 green pepper chopped up
1 onion, chopped
1 T of oregano
1 T of chili powder

If you are using raw sausage, cook and drain, breaking into small pieces (I usually use the smokie type that don't require cooking) Place in slow cooker.

Stir in all other ingredients. Cook on low heat for 4 - 5 hours or on high setting for 2 - 3 hours.

All following recipes are from "Better Homes and Gardens Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes" (fantastic cook book! I love it!)

Slow Cooker Minestrone (pg 144)
1 can of black beans
1 cup of shredded cabbage
1/2 c shredded carrot
1/2 c of chopped celery
1/2 c of onion
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 14 oz can of fat free low sodium beef broth (I've used boullion instead)
3 c of water
1/4 t each of salt and pepper (I hate pepper, never add it)
8 oz fresh green beans cut into 2 inch pieces (I don't like fresh beans so I always use 1 small can)
1/2 c tiny shell macaroni
2 T snipped fresh parsley
1/2 c finely grated parmesan cheese

1. In 3.5 - 6 litre slow cooker add all ingredients except parmesan cheese, macaroni, parsley and green beans (if using fresh - if using canned add now). Stir and cover. Cook on low heat setting for 8 - 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 - 5 hours.

2. If using low heatr setting, turn to high heat setting. Stir in green beans and macaroni. Cover, cook for 30 minutes more. Stir in parsley. Ladle into soup bowls. Sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese.

Cheesy Potatoe Soup (pg 145)

This one is super easy and super yummy! I've also made it faster just cooking it on the stove.

6 medium pototoes, peeled (I never do that) and chopped
2 1/2 c water
1/2 c chopped onion
2 t instant chicken boullion granules (I've also used broth instead of boullion and water)
1/4 t pepper
1 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 12oz can evaporated milk (1.5 cups)

1. In a 3.5 - 4 litre slow cooker combine potatoes, water, onion, boullion granules and pepper. Cover; cook on low heat setting for 8 - 9 hours or on high heat setting for 4 - 4.5 hours.

2. Stir cheese and milk into mixture in cooker. Cover; cook onlow heat setting for 1 hour more or on high heat setting for 30 minutes more. Mash potatoes slightly, if desired (I usually mash alot - makes it thick and creamy).

Beef & Garden Vegetable Soup (pg 34)
2 to 2.5 pounds (1kg) meaty beef shank (I use whatever is the cheapest kind of steak that has a bone in it)
2 medium carrots, shredded
2 stalks of celery, sliced
1 large potatoe, cubed
1 c coarsely chopped cabbage
1 small onion chopped
3 c water
2 c tomato juice
2 T instant beef boullion granules
1 T worcestershire sauce
1 T chili powder
2 bay leaves (I never use these)

1. Cut meat into 1 inch cubes, reserving bones and trimming off fat

2. In a 3.5 - 6 litre slow cooker, place all ingredients, including bones. Cover; cook on low heat setting for 8 - 10 hours or on high heat setting for 4 - 5 hours.

3. Remove and discard bones and bay leaves. Skim off fat.

Those are my favourite recipes, anyway. I also do a thing where I put mushroom soup, cooked chicken bits and rice and the appropriate amount of water in a slow cooker and cook but I haven't got the amounts just right and it ends up too dry - not saucy enough. Haven't tried it in awhile.

Keep on cooking!

Happy New Year

We had a wonderful New Years this year. Dean was gone, of course. (that was not necessarily the wonderful part...) Redfish played Castlemountain this year. (That's by Pincher Creek in Alberta - do you remember dad talking about Pincher Creek?) So Kaetlyn Drew, Rhiannon and I cleaned the house and then bought some snacks and rented some movies (5 to be exact). We rented all 3 of the newest Star Wars episodes and Fox and the Hound and Brother Bear. We watched movies, ate and played games. We wanted to play all of our board games but we didn't get very far. We played Sorry, Uno and Snakes and Ladders. We watched Fox and the Hound and the first 2 Star Wars. Midnight occured during the second Star Wars. We paused, counted down, shouted "Happy New Year" and kissed each other and continued the movie. The next morning we woke up in the late morning and continued eating snacks and watching movies - onto Brother Bear and the last Star Wars which none of us had seen and so we really enjoyed it. Then an old friend visiting from Calgary took us out to Narnia. So within a 24 hour period, I watched 6 movies and several of them were longer than 2 hours! We topped it off by finishing off our snacks and playing Scrabble last night. Our snacks were really good. In addition to the usual - chips and pop, we had a veggie platter with dip, an 'oriental platter' from M & M meats, and 2 shrimp rings. Then the friend from Calgary brought us cookies and more chips! (there are still chips left)

I loved it. It was so relaxed and easy and fun. And we all enjoyed every part together. Rhiannon even watched Star Wars (although she fell asleep during the second one at around 10:30).

I have to say that I LOVED Narnia. I was a little nervous seeing it as I really loved that series of books as a child. I had games built up about them and everything! (I had an invisible pet Lion named Aslan, too.) I have to say that I think that is the best adaptation of a book I have ever seen! I really, really enjoyed it and so did the kids. Rhiannon asked a lot of questions but I think she got most of it and wasn't too scared, either.

Hope all of you had great New Years as well! I was thinking of you all!

Time to Renew

Well, Christmas is over and I am getting into my New Year mood - doing all my little New Year rituals. The urge to clean - really clean - came over me on Boxing Day. Suddenly I had the motivation to fix things that had needed fixing for a long time and to organize things that had long been in disarray. Perhaps receiving the dvd player from Erin was the catalyst. Perhaps. To hook it up to the TV meant a lot of changes. Dean loved throwing out our old CD player which only worked a small percentage of the time and mostly we had given up using it due to the large frustration that came with it and the disappointment as inevitably when you had a craving for certain music, it wouldn't work. Or maybe it was once we had the dvd player hooked up, we could play music freely. I burned a disc of mp3's and put it in. I still haven't listened to the whole thing. Each time I start where I left off. While listening to music, I can tackle any chore no matter how unpleasant and the music keeps me happy.

On the disc are also songs that Layne and Evan have sent me of 'the brothers' singing. I love it when they come up. The kids always want to know which uncle is singing. I mostly know but I have a hard time telling between Layne and Evan. Dean laughs at their schmaltzy singing and arrangements and general goofiness. He is jealous. He wishes that he had brothers like that to sing and play with.

So I mended shelves and unpacked boxes of books that had been packed for more than 2 years. I love my books. Why had I left them packed for 2 years? It is good to see my old friends again. Like the copy of Little Women with JM on the inside cover (Mom's initials). Silly maybe to unpack them all when I am sure it won't be long until we will have to move from here. But I hate living in the state of suspension. Better to be here while we are here. Anyways, all my books (and Dean's who is a likewise lover of books) are unpacked. I also totally rearranged the living room furniture. I think it is the best arrangement yet. I like it. It is a joy to sit in, now. I have a little bench by the window now ready to start little seedlings in a month. Flower seedlings and tomatoe seedlings and pepper seedlings and melon seedinglings.

The first night (after the rearrangement) Dean and I watched the Last Samurai (a DVD which Drew owns - he and I saw it at the theatre - and Dean has never watched). For the first time we could sit comfortably without moving furniture to watch. Dean liked the movie. It was the 3rd or 4th viewing for me. Japanese is such a gutteral language. It is like they are in contrast to the Chinese who are so nasally. It is like as a culture they swore they would never sound like that. Maybe Japanese is not so gutteral when they are not talking about war... They yelled ALOT in the movie.

Yesterday I ran my other Christmas break mini camp. I had 8 kids from 4 - 12 and they were mostly boys. Whew! That was a lot of energy. It was fun, though. We made candles for New Years and played upset the fruit basket (they loved that game - they didn't want to stop!) and went for a hike and painted. My friend Abbie came in and did an hour with them about India (where she was last year) and their traditions for this time of year. It was not so much a camp of teaching but more a camp of keeping the energy going in the right direction. And it went okay, I think. So today I rest. I would still be sleeping if Rhiannon hadn't woken me up. I'm reading a book by Amy Tan - the Bonesetter's Daughter - and I am really enjoying it.

Christmas Day

Well, Christmas was wonderful! Although I think I jinxed the weather. Anytime I get anything to play in the snow with, the snow disappears. Santa brought Drew a GT and Rhiannon a sled and crazy carpet (although she would have preferred purple - I told her that Santa wasn't making purple this year...) and there is not a flake of snow in sight. Just green grass. We had quite a bit of snow and it is all gone, gone, gone with the temperature up to +7 everyday. Hmmmph. Drew just keeps saying he can't wait until it snows. We had our usual Christmas morning. I took the stockings round at 7am after being woken up by Rhiannon whom I had to sleep with to keep her sleeping all night in her own bed... (is that progress?) She was so excited! Kaetlyn woke up when we stirred but Drew, Erin and Justin were still fast asleep when I put their stockings at the end of their beds. The kids woke Dean up showing him what they got in their stockings. He is definitely not a morning person!

We were under the tree by 8am. The kids all liked their Santa stuff. We don't go to extremes and try to get a few gifts that are meaningful or useful and promote our family values. Kaetlyn, Drew and Erin help Santa out for each other and that is fun. Erin got the family a DVD player. Yahoo! You can't even RENT VHS anymore in Vernon - it was getting to be very slim pickings! Dean got me a beautiful healing fairy. Just when all the presenting was done and I started work on the turkey, Bethany called and we opened our presents together. I am so honoured to have her drawing of me. Beautiful! And I don't have a copy of that picture myself so I really, really like it! (funny - when Dean sees it, he says how we are all good at drawing. I look at him quizzically and say, Bethany, Amy and Martha and that is all of us? That is only 3 out of 12 and if my parents had stopped at 3 kids, no one would be good at drawing. He is always trying to categorize us!) Beth also sent me some foot stuff from Lush which I love and there is no Lush store in Vernon so it is a real treat - and the Little Women video which I have been wanting for years. No one will watch it with me - they are all too cool but I love it!

While the turkey cooked, Dean and I walked the dog. Then Erin and I played Scrabble (when Kaetlyn plays, we call it squabble) while sort of watching her movie, Guru. That movie is really funny! Although there are some questionable parts where we had to fastforward and distract Rhiannon. Then the kids set the table beautifully. By candle light we had our turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry juice with gingerale, brocolli and cheese, yams and curried peas (Justin made). Erin never made the apple pie so we just had the usual goodies for desert but mostly we were too full to even think about sweets!

Later we watched Rhiannon's Christmas DVD - The Secret of NIMH and then Drew's Christmas DVD, Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - very funny and I went to bed after working on Dean's Christmas present. I am making him two hats but I couldn't make them without trying them on his head as when you have no hair the fit has to be exactly right - so I gave him balls of yarn for his gift. I am making one out of bamboo! It is black and silky and 100% bamboo! Weird. That one will be for on stage. The other I am making out of Lopi wool for keeping his hairless head warm in the cold.

That was our Christmas. Today everyone just laid low, played with their Christmas things, ate left overs (yum!). I went and visited a friend who was lonely and has no family for an hour or so. And the day is over already...

Later on Christmas Eve

Well, my day went well. I got all my shopping finished (I only needed a couple more things) by 10am and then I vowed not to leave the house (except to go to the service) and I didn't. Dean took Rhiannon to play in the park for an hour or so and then he did his shopping and took Kaetlyn and Drew to finish theirs. So it was nice and quiet here with just me and Rhi. We listened to Christmas music (I burned a Bony M Christmas CD - good for boogying to while you do Christmas chores). Made shortbread, two batches of peanut brittle for us to eat and finished the nanaimo bars (I also don't like store bought ones - too uniform and not chocolatey enough). I was going to make some more sugar cookies but it just didn't happen. Oh well. I always have more plans than actually happen. If I hadn't been up half of the night with Rhiannon... The hike didn't happen but hopefully we will get it in tomorrow while the turkey cooks.

I did have a bit of grief with Kaetlyn and Drew who didn't want to do their chores. They said I was ruining their Christmas eve day by making them work. *sigh* It is so nice when this ego-centric stage ends... I did protest that it wouldn't have been much of a holiday for me if I have to do all the work by myself. Kaetlyn said, why did we have to have a big dinner and why did the house have to be clean - who cares if there is mold growing in the toilet! Why indeed! It did get all worked out in the end but not after some severe-ness on my part. We went to the service at the Alliance church which had less singing and more preaching than usual and I was dying to sing. I love to sing Christmas songs and no one else really does. I was really looking forward to Martha being here and playing our piano and singing with me... The preaching was very nice and their pastor is from Scotland and had a kindly brogue. He very gently talked about how turning to Jesus at this time of year (and always) helps us to get centred again from our hectic lives. They have a part when all the children go up to the front and they tell the Christmas story. This year Rhiannon ran up there. They told the story but left blanks and let the children fill in the blanks. Rhiannon got to speak into the mic and say that the angel said not to be afraid. I could see her little hand there waving each time there was an opportunity (now where does she get that from....?) (you all might be too young to remember that about me - Doug or John would know and John was always the same way)

We picked up Erin and Justin and had our Christmas Eve dinner - this year vegetarian quesadillas (Justin if vegetarian) and I made my famous artichoke dip and put out all the goodies. I gave my little Christmas Eve talk about what Christmas means and then we each opened a gift. I opened the one from Kaetlyn who gave me some pj's and some scenting candle burning thing. We watched a Christmas Carol (I had to put Rhiannon to bed part way through at her request - I hope that is a good sign) and now all the kids are off to bed so Santa can come. I am waiting for them all to fall asleep. Then the long task of Santa begins.

I picked up Bethany's gift for me today and opened the box and put all three presents under the tree. I am so excited! I can't wait to talk to her tomorrow and I REALLY hope my gift for her got there today!

Christmas Eve

Well, we sold the last of the peanut brittle last night. Now we just have to focus on our preparations for Christmas and the fun of Christmas Eve. I will get the last of the shopping done this morning (I will leave shortly so to be at the stores as early as possible and before the crowds). I just need a couple of stocking stuffers and a few foodstuffs for our feast tomorrow. I think Kaetlyn, Drew and Rhiannon have one more present to buy which I will do after that. Then Dean and I will go for our traditional Christmas Eve hike around 1pm. Although this year it will be rather muddy as the rain has continued. (yesterday it was + 7!) I haven't decided what to wear on my feet yet... something I don't mind getting very muddy. Then we will go to the Alliance church for their Christmas Eve service which is really nice and involved the entire church standing and singing Christmas songs at the top of their lungs. You can hardly hear your own voice. Then Erin and Justin will be done work and join us. We will have our traditional dinner of quesadillas, all the goodies will come out (I will have to finish making the nanaimo bars sometime before then...) We will watch a Christmas Carol, I will tell the Christmas story and open a present each and visit and the kids will go to bed.

I hope Rhiannon will have a better night than she has had for the last couple! She has woken up in the middle of the night the last 2 nights and stayed awake for about 2 hours in which time she comes into my room and wakes me up several times (usually just after I have fallen asleep). Last night she woke me up so often and so thoroughly, that I couldn't fall asleep for more than an hour after she finally did. She is just so excited. And today is Christmas Eve. I'll have to wear her out really good today. Too bad we can't go toboganning somewhere which we like to do when there is actually snow on Christmas Eve. Maybe Dean can take her to the park... Probably physical exertion will do the trick (well, I can hope, can't I?). I remember how mom used to drug us when I was Rhiannon's age. Too bad they took that stuff off the market... A little dose of Phenogren went a long way on Christmas Eve...

Merry Christmas all my lovely, beautiful, wonderful sisters. I look forward to talking to you, Beth, on Christmas. Call me when you are ready. I am sure we will be 'up and at 'em' bright and early (well actually it probably won't be bright yet...) I love you all!

Pushing

Yesterday was not a good day. I realized that I was pushing myself too hard. It is not bad and I don't mind pushing myself beyond what most people can do but if others don't do their part, I get very, very cranky. And the others did not. And I got cranky. And I was tired. Very tired. So I had a fit and went to bed. And while in bed, I thought and I thought about it all. And I set some limits and boundaries and felt much, much better. In the morning I apologized for my most immature way of handling my problem the night before. And now I am in a cheery, Christmassy mood again.

It is raining here. Raining and raining. Almost like a bit of Nanaimo right here. No wind, though. Drew is very discouraged as the snow slowly disappears and his 'run' for his GT slowly melts to mush. "It was such a good run, Mom! Look at my scraped up leg from when I crashed and then Jared crashed and it was so fun!" (boys!) as he proudly shows me his calf all scratched up. Of course, Drew gives me much more detailed accounts of his slides down the hill and every nuance. He loves sliding.

I love to read Laura's posts of what you are all doing in Nanaimo. I feel a bit sad, too, to not be there and sad because I have never been there. I am jealous of Katie and Laura and Martha and Sarah and Bethany and Amy who always had lots of sisters. Brothers just don't do things like that. Makes me homesick for a time I never had.

I mailed off Bethany's present (the rest of it) today. I sheepishly went up to the counter and asked the nice mail lady if there was any chance of getting it to Nanaimo before Christmas. She laughed at me. I sent it express post and they are delivering on Saturday. So you COULD have it before Christmas - or you will get it on the 27th. Whenever you get it, you MUST open it with me on the phone because there are explanations needed and I didn't write anything on them. And then I realized that I forgot one of your little presents - it is sitting on the shelf beside where I wrapped everything. As I left, the mail lady said, "Last one?" I grinned and nodded. I didn't bother telling her it was my only one. Then she would know...

Well, I am off to make more peanut brittle

chick out

Fun amongst the rush

I did a Christmas 'mini camp' for children yesterday. (I am doing one next Wednesday, as well.) I had so much fun! I only had 3 children (and one of them was Rhiannon, of course) but I decided to run it. The other two children (a boy and a girl) were both 4 years old. I love 4 year olds! They are so eager to learn and so easy to please! I made beeswax candles with them (from sheets) and then we wrapped them and they made a Christmas card. They made 4 candles each and were so excited to be giving something that they had made and that no one in their family knew what it was! They were even so excited to get to wrap it themselves... I took them on a hike into Becker Park which is an old, old volcano (from before the ice age). They loved the idea of being on top of a volcano - even though it just looked like a hill. I let them play in the snow in a couple of places and they were generally just playing all the time. 4 year olds have such magical imaginations! (5 year olds, too, for that matter) We were out for about an hour and a half. We played games, I read them stories, we painted. It was fun. (did I mention I love 4 year olds?) For the last activity, I had made gingerbread cookies (whole grain spelt gingerbread, actually). So first I got out the playdough and all the cookie cutters (and more) that I had used to make the cookies. They loved the play dough and payed with it for 1/2 an hour and would have kept going if I had let them. Then we pretended to bake all their cookies by putting the play dough away and I brought out the real cookies and icing and sprinkles and they decorated cookies to take home for their families. They took this very seriously - making something for their families. They were all so happy all day and so much fun to be around. I am very grateful to have had the opportunity.

Amongst all of that, I taught them. First I taught them about their bodies. They loved singing so we I taught them Hinges and Do As I'm Doing and we talked about all the wonderful things we can do with our bodies and how to look after them. Then I told them a story about emotions using puppets. Then we played a game that used our minds and we talked about how we use our minds to remember, solve problems, etc. Last, I taught them about spirit - listening to the still small voice and the magic of believing.

Today, I will canvas for washing windows and make peanut brittle... Dean is sicker so I will baby him. He finally got home late, late, late Monday night (well, early Tuesday morning would also be accurate). Then he had to wash windows yesterday. Today he will rest. I make him tea out of fresh ginger and lemon and that seems to help. At least it hasn't turned into bronchitis which it usually does for him. So, I'm off to make peanut brittle!

A Philosopher's Cafe

I went to a most lovely event today. A friend of mine who now lives in Penticton put on a wonderful celebration for her husband's 50th birthday. She had a 'philosopher's cafe' of sorts. There were 4 speakers - a First Nation's wise woman (published author, Jeannette I-forget-her-last-name), a Bhuddist Monk, a Jewish Rabbi and my friend, Bozenka, representing Christianity. Each speaker spoke for about 45 minutes. I enjoyed all the speakers but I LOVED my friend's talk. She spoke about finding the Christ in everyone. I had heard many of her stories before but I was moved to tears anyways several times. I come home filled to the brim with love and inspiration.

I was especially glad that I did it at this busy time of year. Luckily I agreed to drive her there (she doesn't drive) months ago when I wasn't thinking about how busy I would be. When the time came close, I wondered what I had got myself into and if I should back out. But I am not a backer outer. I was so glad that I arranged things so I could go. It was wonderful to recharge and take that time out for myself - a luxury I would not have allowed myself otherwise. And really such a good idea!

I was so looking forward to seeing Dean when I came home. But he was not here. Their bus was not plugged in so they can't leave until tomorrow morning. I miss him. If I wasn't expecting to see him, I would not miss him quite so much. But I do. I miss him a lot. Our bed won't feel large and luxurious to me tonight, it will feel empty...

I guess it will be all the better when I see him tomorrow, right?

Christmas buzz

Well, I am well on my way to having everything finished this year. Bethany's gift is in Nanaimo as we speak. I was able to buy it here and then have mom pick it up and wrap it for me in Nanaimo. Sweet! No shipping and no chance of it getting broken (which I was worried about). I hope you like it, Bean. I also have another package for you which I will be mailing on Monday of little fun things.

And Laura, where is our bike trip thing?

Rhiannon had her piano Christmas concert today. She did very well - even remembered her whole notes in Jingle Bells which she struggled with remembering. Dean's parents were there and really enjoyed it. She played two songs on her own and her class did an ensemble (she played tambourine). Poor Dean had to miss it again. He is playing Panorama tonight.

Kaetlyn and Drew are busy with their peanut brittle business. They were taking it easy - not going out that often and then suddenly they realized that there is only 7 days left. SEVEN DAYS left. Eeep! I wish I was more like Katie (but at least my laundry room is clean... I know, I know, it is Brent's fault. Funny how that is, it used to be Laura's fault or my fault...)hehe.

Well, I had better go and finish vacuuming the living room and making my grocery list...

Royal Jelly

This is my unsolicited testimonial of Royal Jelly. In case you don't know what it is - it is the food that bees make for the queen bee who, as a result of this food, lives 50x longer than all the other bees. Studies have shown that people who take Royal Jelly on a regular basis don't get sick nearly as often and if you do get sick, your symptoms are very mild. Studies show that once you are sick, Royal Jelly will have little effect if you START taking it then. I have been taking it since May and I have not been sick since. I have slept in the same bed with a sick man and a sick child and still not got sick - at all. I even had a wee little fish egg on my upper lip. And that's all that happened - one little fish egg that went away the next day. I've NEVER had that happen. I'd much rather take Royal Jelly than drugs! (Unfortunately if you are allergic to pollen [Dean is] or bees, you can't take Royal Jelly. Dean tried one and had a severe allergic reaction.) I take 3 a day. The nice thing about Royal Jelly is that it is not expensive. I buy the Organika brand and it is $7 for 90 capsules which (obviously) lasts me a month. So in this so called 'flu season', I am recommending to all of you - Royal Jelly.

Just wanted to share that with you. There is something else that is troubling me. I haven't been able to get a hold of Martha in 2 weeks (since I spoke to you, Katie) (errr, I mean Jollee..) I have tried calling several times and never got an answer. She hasn't called me which is unusual since she moved. Does anyone know anything? There are so many factors in her situation, my imagination goes a little wild. If anyone has heard anything, please let me know. You can e-mail me if the information is too personal. When I read Amay's post about being worried about something mom told her about, my mind went immediately here.

Other than those pressing issues, the Christmas baking and tree decorating went well. It was very fun to spend the time with Erin. I made a batch of shortbread, 9 batches of peanut brittle a double batch of sugar cookies (and icing) and started the Nanaimo bars. Whew! And then she and Justin took me out to dinner at a new Indian restaurant in town (Vernon's first!). The food was delicious. I got chicken korma and we shared some pakora and samosas. I went from there to the free workshop we were offering last night at the Inner World School. Several people signed up but only 2 showed up... 'tis the season. We had a good talk with those that showed up. It was on Transitions in Family Relationships so I had lots to say.

Well, that's it for now.

slightly tired chick out.

Insanely busy days

I am insanely busy with hardly a minute to sit down and blog and read blogs. Just go, go, go. It doesnt' help that Dean came home from the road sick so I am still picking up all the parental slack myself - AND looking after him.

Erin is coming today around noon to do Christmas baking with her mama. Funny how things that she couldn't be bothered with when she was at home and even actively avoided, she likes to come home and do, now. We are also going to decorate our Christmas tree this afternoon when Kaetlyn gets home from school. We bought it at one of those places where you cut down your own on Monday. It is a grand fir and it is the most beautiful tree I have ever seen! We had quite a time getting it into the stand! It is standing a little crookedly but that will have to do! We had to saw off some little bit but the saw was incredibly dull and it took soooo long with Dean and I trading off sawing! Then we got it into the stand and then it fell over. So it is standing now - however crookedly is fine with us.

Rhiannon is so excited. I think the years 5 - 7 are the apex of Christmas excitement. She is just bouncing around all day. Whe wakes up around 6:30 and starts singing on the top of her lungs while still in bed. (Dean doesn't really enjoy that part!) We put the lights on the tree last night, much to her delight. I've got shortbread in the oven right now and I am about to go make peanut brittle until I run out of ingredients (I think it will be sugar).

And did I tell you that I have managed to get Rhiannon sleeping in her own bed?! YES!! She just got her reward the other day for sleeeping in her own bed for 14 consecutive nights! Ah blissful sleep! What a difference a good night's uninterupted sleep makes! (say good bye to yours, Sarah!)

Rhiannon's Christmas Recital

It is the season of children's concerts and recitals. Today it was Rhiannon's for her violin class. Unfortunately Dean is playing in Canmore this week end so he couldn't come. Drew, Kaetlyn and her grand parents got to watch, though. She was very cute. She loves performing (don't know where she got that from....) (hehe). She played jingle bells with the whole group and then jingle bells on the piano and violin by herself.

I am exhausted. There have been busy, busy days with no breaks. Thursday was the gala so all day Wednesday and Thursday were spent in that preparation. Friday afternoon I had volunteered to head a homeschooling activity (do I have a screw loose or something?!) We did beeswax candles. So I spent Friday morning searching for sheets of beeswax and getting that ready. This morning I had to get up early and make peanut brittle as Kaetlyn and Drew had sold it all. I took them out selling. When we were done, we had 45 minutes to eat lunch before the recital started... Then I come home and rush to make dinner and start the fire and, and, and... At times like this, I really miss Dean in a practical way. Being a single parent is no 'cup o' tea'...

The day dawn is breaking the world is awaking...

These are my last moments with Erin's digital camera. So perhaps I am going a little overboard. I love digital cameras! Anyway, I have always loved the winter dawn here when we get to see it (ie. don't have the dreaded 'valley bottom cloud') So when sleeping-in failed this morning I took these pictures of the dawn view from my patio. This is looking Northeast towards Lumby. Its the view from my kitchen table.

In Desperate Need of a Sister

Funny how I loved to do my sisters' hair. I spent all that time on YOUR hair and never really learned to do my own very well. It is the Christmas Gala tonight and I am trying to get my hair to look gala-ish. I wish Laura was here to do what she did for the ballet. But I am trying the pin curl thing from Curly Girl but I am starting to worry that I have left them in too long and I am going to have these severely tight curls by my face that are about 2 inches long while the rest is hanging long and loose. I wish I had a sister here to do my hair.... Here is a pic of me with the pin curl thing in.

Now can't you see what I mean about my nose jobs being obvious in the picture?




Okay, maybe I took them out too soon - their still damp but at least they are not 2 inches long...

More pictures

Yesterday blogger was going so slow and kept not uploading my pics after waiting for 15 minutes! So I gave up. I'll try again now.

This is the first one that I crocheted from a pattern. My hat doesn't look anything like the pic on the pattern but I like it. It is pink and white wool with a mohair blend trim.

This next one is made from one strand of blue and one strand of grey wool and aplaca - the tourquoise (looks like green in the picture) is alpaca - soooo soft but too small for my giant head so I can't model it for you.

hat pictures

Here is a pink fuzzy one with a brim (Kaetlyn's current favourite)
And here are ear flaps - the multi colour is wool and the blue trim is alpaca

Christmas Gala

The Inner World Christmas Gala is tomorrow evening. So today will be crazily busy! I have short bread to make and the school to clean and start decorating. We are going to have almost 50 people there (more than half of those will be kids). I say start as I am not really a 'decorator'. This is a well known fact so others are doing most of the decorating. I also have to get the printing done - flyers for our next workshop, paper with all our programs on, etc. Oh and I have to choose the christmas songs that we are going to sing and print the words up for that.

I still have that bag on my foot and my crack doesn't feel as painful today. My right knee hurts in the cold weather and then my left heel is cracked. I hardly know which leg to limp on...

I will take some pics of my new hats later today for you. I have to give back Erin's camera on Friday. I've made some with ear flaps with Alpaca wool which is very, very soft.

HP 4

Well, Kaetlyn and Drew and I saw 'the' movie last night. They paid for me and bought the popcorn with their peanut brittle money (they've earned over $100 now). We enjoyed it and I thought it was good BUT... I think I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't read the book. I know they always have to leave stuff out and I don't have a problem with that, although I always think of things they left out... I thought it was generally meaner than the book. I thought that Dumbledore was more aggressive than he was in the book. I picture him more as a patient, wise man - not someone who would run up to Harry and shake him about putting his name in the goblet. And Ron telling Harry to 'piss off' pretty sure that was not in the book. I don't find the acting cheesy. I think the characters in the book are a bit cheesy so it doesn't bother me. It was well done and it deffinitely had me sitting on the edge of my seat even when I knew what was going to happen. Well, that is my 2 cents worth, anyway.

C C C Cold

We are having record breaking cold weather here. We had a low of -16 yesterday which is unusual for this time of the year. (It can get colder but it doesn't usually in early December) Last December I planted bulbs.... We have managed to keep it toasty warm in here without turning on the furnace. We have some fir and birch that burn very nicely all through the night.

In the freezing cold weather, Redfish played outside downtown last night for the opening ceremonies of the Nordic skiing world cup. At -11 it was a pretty chilly event! I wore leatards, my pajama pants under fleece pants with thin socks, and wool socks and a tshirt, thin sweater under thick sweater, my coat, a neck thing a wool hat and my gloves. But other fools (who probably moved here from Vancouver) were wearing thin jeans and shoes and freezing. I didn't get to stay for their whole set as Rhiannon wanted to go home - she was really tired. We got about half of it but I didn't get to hear a new song I really, really wanted to hear. Oh well.

Before that we went to Penticton for Dean's Nana's memorial service. Their entire family (less 4 great-grand children) was there and we fit in this tiny room. Can you imagine? There was Dean and our family, his sister Katherine and her family (3 kids) his brother, Mark (who is gay - his two kids who live in Calgary weren't there) Dean's 1 and only cousin, Michael was there (but his 2 kids were sick so were at home with their mother in West Van), Dean's parents and his mother's brother, Uncle Barry and his wife. That's it. Can you imagine having a family you can fit in a short paragraph? It was nice and it was the first time I saw them all at once. All the grandkids except Dean spoke. Dean played a beautiful arrangement of Amazing Grace. Uncle Barry spoke and that was pretty much it. The chaplain read some scriptures. We went to Uncle Barry's after the service where he had some food catered and everyone got to visit. We could only stay for an hour as Dean had to be in Vernon for his gig. Rhiannon didn't want to leave. His family is very funny and his cousin Michael was telling us hilarious stories. We were laughing until we cried.

Before that I was in Armstrong at the Farmer's Market. I picked up my old neighbour, Evalyn, who knits slippers and drove out to Armstrong in the bitter cold. We were originally supposed to be up on the stage (death at these events) but we managed to wrangle a better spot on the floor almost immediately. In fact we ended up with 2 tables as someone didn't show up. There were a few people who didn't show up - must have had car trouble with the cold. The room was about the size of the gym (cultural hall?) rooms in the LDS chapels. They had people set up around the outside of the room facing in and then people on the inside facing out. We were at the back of the room facing out (facing the samosa man). In the past, we have always been near the door. I don't think our location was ideal. I only sold 2 hats but I sold more peanut brittle than I have ever sold before there. People were trying them on and saying how beautiful they were and would say they would be back after they made their rounds but they didn't come back. I did trade with some teen age girls who made some very pretty jewlery (or at least Evalyn did it for me - I had to leave early for the Memorial Service). I don't know if it was the location or what. Several times people with children in tow would handle the children's hats and then ask how much they were. When I would say the baby ones were $10 and the children's were $15, they would drop them like a hot potatoe. That doesn't seem like too much to me? When you consider the cost of the yarn and the time it takes me to make it. I'd pay $15 for a beautiful hat for Rhiannon... I'll post some more pictures of more recent hats I have made later. This Farmer's Market only costs $25 to go in and I only have to pay half of that so it was not a loss however you look at it. I just need to find a way to sell these hats... Any ideas are welcome.

So there, I have deconstructed my day. Sometime today I have to go and pick up all my stuff from Evalyn. And I have a crack on my heel. I've never had one of those before and it really hurts. I'm going to go soak my foot and put some more oils on it.

Peanut Brittle

A Mom kind of morning

I sprang awake at 6:30 this morning and although I could have slept in, I couldn't fall back asleep. I lay there thinking of all the things I could get done today on this 'at home' day. Heavy snow was forcasted so we got all our windows washed yesterday (other people's windows that is - mine are dirty). And as it is snowing heavily right now, I can't really go out and canvas. So I leapt out of bed and began by going to get my stuff from the Inner World School. Rhiannon and I walked home yesterday after the drop-in so my box of stuff and Dean's ghetto blaster were still down there. I have to have radio on or something while doing kitchen stuff. Then I made 2 batches of mayo. (I have been making my own mayo for 16 years and my kids don't like store bought stuff - not to mention it is expensive). Then I made a batch of bread which is currently rising. Then I made a double batch of carrot pineapple muffins which are cooked and cooling on the kitchen counter right now. Then I came down to check my e-mail and the blogs and it is only 9:30. Oh and I also put on a load of laundry. I love it when I feel so productive and get so much done in the morning! I love cozy, snowy days when it smells so yummy inside!

It doesn't look as though Martha is coming here for Christmas. She can't afford to get here. Probably better that way so her kids can be together for Christmas. What do you guys think of getting a sister package together or a family one, I don't care if brother's contribute and sending it to her? I could do my own from here. I know what it is like to be a single mom at Christmas. Very lonely and no one thinks of you. It doesn't have to be an expensive proposition - just some little pampering things that let her know that we are thinking of her. I think that she could really use some family support right now - especially if she is going to be successful in staying away. Anyways, what do you think? Does someone want to organize the Nanaimo contigent?

And Laura, have you done the sister's bike hike thing yet? I would really like to get it printed and send it down with my Christmas package. Could you please look at it and add your two cents worth and send it back to me?

A Million Little Pieces

I read that book by James Frey. I finished last night. I wasn't going to read it because I don't like being traumatized by books. But it wasn't too bad and it was about overcoming. There was, however, as I think Laura pointed out, a LOT of swearing in the book. I found his writing style very addictive - it just drew me in. I read half of the book last night. I was going to go to bed early as I was exhausted but I just read and read and read until midnight and finished it.

Now as for piano music, let me be clear. I enjoy the piano with other instruments and even by itself. But when it is by itself, it is not enough to occupy my mind. I wanted to do something else - like read - while I listened but I don't think that would have been appreciated - especially as I was near the front. I like to sing along with the piano. Maybe there is other music on the piano that I would have enjoyed more - more moody music like Beethoven or boroque music (sp?). But North American piano music from the 1890's on was.... not enough to stimulate me.

I am tired this week end and I am trying to relax. I have been working really, really hard. Canvassing 3 hours a day and then doing the stuff for the school and being a mom. I feel guilty because I haven't got Rhiannon to practise her instruments all week and she can't practise without me. Life just starts rushing, rushing, rushing at this time of year. I need to schedule my time better. I am not generally a live by a schedule kind of person but I think one would be helpful right about now...

It snowed here yesterday. We got about 2 inches and it is melting today. I was out canvassing while it snowed really hard and I actually got 5 jobs. That is exceptional. I guess no one wants to go out and wash their own windows in that kind of weather. It is supposed to get down to -16 with a high of -7 by Wednesday. If it gets that cold, we will be out of business. I am pretty much booked until Tuesday as it is. I'll have to wait and see what comes with the weather. Very often in the long term forcast, very cold weather is forcasted but it doesn't happen. It would be very good for the ice wine people, though. It has to be at least -8 at night for them to harvest the grapes. The sooner it happens, the more juice is in the grape and the more wine they can make.

They are planning Dean's Nana's memorial for either next week end or the one after. Bad for us. Next week end I am in a farmer's market in Armstrong on Saturday. The following week Dean is in Canmore for a big paying gig. We really can't afford to pass up on money making ventures at this time of year... If they have it next Friday, that might work out. Redfish is playing at the Nordic World Championships on Dec 3. $1000 for one 45 minute set. That is good! That is at night so it won't be affected by whatever they decide about the memorial service.

Well, I should go do something productive...

What a Day!

Well, yesterday was certainly eventful. I only liked the piano music, so/so. The beginning part when he played the rag tunes it reminded me of Grandma - when she would spend hours playing different ragtime tunes. But his show was geered to old people and I hate to say it, but I don't really like just piano music. I would have liked to read a book or something while I listened. It just doesn't engage me. Its funny how people are different. Rhiannon fell fast asleep before the intermission. I dozed off a little, too. The couple beside me was really, really into it, though. I prefer strings. They really touch my soul. Good thing I'm married to a guitarist! But it was ok and Rhiannon and I had a good time together. We went out for lunch at Boston Pizza (right across the road) in between swimming and the concert.

Then when I got home, I was working on sending out the invitations to the Inner World School Christmas Gala, Dec 8 and I got a call from Dad. He was on his way to pick up Mom from Martha's a week early and take the van back they had bought for her. I don't know if I did the right thing, or not (I think I did) but I got in the middle. I talked to Martha and to Mom and to Dad and got them all calmed down. Dad went back to Nanaimo and Mom is still in Cranbrook but not staying at Martha's (which is probably better). It was rather stressfull and all consuming for the evening to be in the middle of the drama. I was concerned about Martha feeling alone and there being a rift - there has been enough of those. Mom called me to thank me today so I think I did the right thing by getting involved.

While doing that, though, I forgot entirely about a client I had at 8:15 and I missed the appointment and didn't even think about it until I went to bed at 11:00. *sigh* I HATE it when I do that!

A Fluffy Lid

The whole Okanagan Valley has been covered with a fluffy lid since the week end. Just a flat, fluffy lid. You can see up but only so far. The mountains are all cut off at a certain level which actually has the effect of making them look much taller and steeper than they really are. The temperatures don't vary much from 3 - 4 degrees. At least it is above freezing and we can still wash windows.

Today will be very busy. I am leaving in an hour and half to go canvassing for windows while Dean washes. Then he will take a break at 11 and drive me home to get changed and ready to go. Then Rhiannon and I are going to the homeschoolers swim. Right after that we are going to our next concert in the series we signed up for in September. Today it is John Arpin, a pianist who is supposed to be the king of ragtime. Should be fun. Dean will pick us up from the Performing Arts Centre at 3:45. I got up at 6 this morning to get everything done at home first. Gotta go pack our bathings suits...

A Pretty Darn Good Day!

Well, I have been offering a free drop-in on Monday mornings at the Inner World School where people just come and hang out with their kids for free and I have some art/craft thing to do and some games to play and sometimes we dance, etc. Well, I started around the second week or so in October - during the strike. Since then there are been only one or two families who come - not always the same people. On Halloween Monday no one came (which could be expected) but other than that, there as always been at least one family there for Rhiannon to play with. Well, today it was full. I had 5 families! One of the little boys came with is mom and newborn sister who came to my summer camp and gave me a hug. It was so good to see him and then some homeschooling families came. I was very happy to have so many kids there! It is good to see people being attracted to what we are doing there. I had out water colour crayons and I played alphabet bingo and a memory game with them. Gives me hope.

So that is my good news of the day. Dean is still not home. Their vehicle broke down just out of Kananaskis (sp?). They had to rent a UHaul to get home. He said he wouldn't be here until late. He didn't sound good. There was a cat in the house they were put up in, in Banf and he lost his inhaler and hadn't brought any allergy drugs with him so he was sounding all weezy. I'll be glad to see him tonight.

Sunday Thoughts

I was listening to CBC while working in the kitchen this afternoon. I listened to a very interesting program - I think it was tapestry. They had some professors of religion and some religious leaders who were talking about environmentalism and religion. Their premise is that as we destroy the environment, we are destroying the work of God and how it is not so much in churches but out in nature that people have spiritual experiences. That is, of course, very crudely and briefly said. They were very eloquent and spoke to many things that I agree with and feel strongly about.

These are my thoughts on the matter. You know the 10th article of faith which ends with "that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisical glory". Now, I have thought about that quite a bit. What if God is not going to just miraculously return the earth to its paradisical glory. I know in my own life, things have not happened like that. Of course, God could make my life perfect and solve all my problems. But it seems to me that the purpose of my life is to learn. And I learn by sorting through my problems and gaining insight into myself. So, what if we are responsible to return the earth to its paradisical glory? What if it is up to us to learn to take responsibility for our effect on the world around us and to work together with each other to repair the damage and stop its progress? What if there will be no miraculous happening that will make the lion lay down with the lamb but that we (the lion of the developed western world) must lay down with the lamb? These are the things that I think about deeply. I believe that it is up to us to do these things. This is why I am involved in the Inner World School. I see it is a seed to change the way we relate to ourselves (where it always starts) and to each other and the world around us.

Anyways, these are my Sunday thoughts that I wanted to share with all of you!

Saturday, in the park, it must have been the 1st of July...

Sorry, that old song (you all are probably too young to know it...) went through my head as I was trying to think of a title. Today is Drew's birthday party day. I am tired in advance. I'm going to have 4 additional boys in the house - but only for an hour and then I am taking them to the pool. I learned long ago that it is best to have somewhere to go and something to do. They just have so much physical energy when they all get together and are excited! It is the loonie swim (meaning the public swim only costs a loonie) at 4:30 so that is perfect. I'll just serve snacks and cake and they will play a bit of xbox and then he'll open his presents and then we'll go to the pool. It should work, right? I am debating about whether I will stay with them at the pool. Maybe I should... I hate swimming in the pool. Really! How can people think it is cleaner than the ocean or the lake?! My skin is always sooo itchy from swimming in all those chemicals. and of course, I hate what it does to my hair. I have tried all kinds of different bathing caps but none of them work on my giant head. I own three of the biggest I could find but my hair still gets wet...

Dean's grandmother (known to all as Nana) died last week. She was 94. She had been gone for a long time. I think it was really hard for her when her arthritis got so bad she couldn't live on her own and then she had a stroke before Rhiannon was born and had to be in one of those long term care places where you basically live in a very small room. She was in a very nice place but I think it was really hard for her to be so dependent and she just slowly ebbed away. I saw her last the summer of 2004 with the kids but she didn't really know who we were. She enjoyed us visiting, I think, and we took her for a walk in her wheel chair and stuff. Apparantly she just stopped eating. She was ready to go. She died in Dean's mom's arms (it was her mother). There will be a memorial service in Penticton (where she lived for more than 70 years) in a week or so. Dean was sad and cried a bit but not that she is finally gone - she needed to go but just for the important part of his childhood that she was. He used to visit every summer from North Vancouver for at least 2 weeks. I'm glad that I got to know her while she was still 'with it'. She had a great sense of humour and loved all my kids - especially Drew - she had a thing for boys! The memorial service will be the first time I will be at something where his whole family is there. His brother will be there from Toronto and his sister from Kamloops and his cousin (he only has one cousin, can you imagine?) from West Vancouver.

Well, I had better go get ready for the party (why does one clean the house in advance of these things?! It makes no sense!).

A Lonely Week end

November 16 was mine and Dean's 8 year anniversary. It is funny how 8 years can seem so short and so long. I've never been with someone for this long. Phil and I were together for just less than 7 years. Kaetlyn was almost 5 when we split up. Wednesday was busy but we managed to spend some time together. Now he is gone - left early the next morning for Banf and he won't be home until Monday. I don't usually mind having time on my own but this week end, I miss him. I've let him closer to me than I think I have ever let anyone.

I made up a song yesterday on the spot while teaching the geometry class at the Inner World School. Here it is:

Isosceles, Isoscles it is a special triangle.
Isosceles, Isoscles it has two sides the same.

sang to a happy, little ditty that does bear some resemblance to a tune on the Caillou Christmas Movie that Rhiannon was watching that morning. I wish I could plan to have such inspiration - it just came to me as I was trying to get these 5 and 6 year olds to remember what an Isoscles triangle was - we were making them out of pipe cleaners. I sang it to them and got them singing it and then we marched around banging on drums while we sang it. It was brilliant! Next week we will work on recognizing them...

A Decision

Well, I have made a decision of sorts. I am not going to go with the previously mentioned business idea. There are too many obstacles and also, too many requirements (like having access to a commercial kitchen or having a health inspection of my own kitchen) that just make it not practical. I have decided instead to work harder at marketing what I make and sell already. Well, really, this is a 'we' thing and not an I thing as Dean and I are working on it together. So if any of you have any ideas on marketing my hats or my peanut brittle, I am very open to suggestions and support is greatly appreciated. I am happy to ship hats anywhere for a sale. If I could sell 6 hats a day, I would be doing just fine.

I have really been working on sorting through my mixed feelings about all of this. Of course, I wish that I had enough to do at the Inner World School that I didn't have to do this. But doing this allows me to stay at home with my kids and homeschool Drew and Rhiannon and continue working on building up the Inner World School. So it is a good thing. I just get tired sometimes of pushing, pushing, pushing. Sometimes, I feel like I have been pushing, pushing, pushing forever and not getting very far. And I just want a rest. But no rest is in sight presently. So I'll just have to push on.

Snow is here. But not to stay, I don't think. It is pretty close to 0 outside and it supposed to be warmer in the next couple of days. The snow is pretty and Drew and Rhiannon had fun in it first thing this morning. It is warm and cozy in here with our wood-burning stove, crackling away. Dean has been busy splitting wood for us to use when he is gone. He leaves Thursday am early for Banff and area. He won't be back until Monday. I've been busy baking for him - making muffins and biscuits and stuff like that to eat while he is gone.

Well, this Chick is going to bed.

My new business idea

Well, here is my new business idea. What do you think? We need something to take us through the next 4 months that there is no window washing here and peanut brittle and hat sales don't quite cut it...

Are you too busy or unable to cook and tired of restaurant food?
Would you like to eat wholesome food delivered to your door?

Let us do the cooking!

Order from our selection of homemade soups, salads and entrées delivered to your door. All meals made fresh in our kitchen with the best ingredients available – local produce when available. Purchase in single or family portions. Each meal is healthy, great tasting and easy!

Meals (delivered frozen)
Chicken tarragon soup
Black bean and sausage soup
Chili (vegetarian, beef or turkey)
Chicken Cacciatore
Spaghetti (vegetarian, beef or turkey)
Shepherd’s pie
(Diabetic information available upon request)

Salads (delivered fresh)
Greek salad
Garden salad

Baking (can be delivered frozen or fresh)
Muffins – Pineapple Carrot, Blueberry, Banana Nut, Saskatoon (while supplies last) – all muffins available in regular, low fat/low sugar and/or *wheat free.
Peanut Brittle (DK’s gourmet peanut brittle)
Shortbread
Sugar Cookies
Cherry Chew Bars
Chocolate Chip Cookies (available in normal or *wheat free)
*Spelt is used instead of wheat – add $1 per 6 muffins or cookies
(diabetic information available upon request)

In Remembrance

I want to tell you about my new business idea and see what you all think but that will have to be another entry because I have these things to say first.

Andrew and I went to the Remembrance Day service at the multiplex. We have it indoors now so all the old veterans can sit instead of march and stand in the cold. I think it is better, too because that way more people can see the service. I wept as I have wept the last couple of years. I think it is having a son that, for me, has made remembrance day so significant. It is by far boys and men who go to war. I dread to think that that could happen to my precious and sweet boy.

Together Drew and I have read books around this time of year that are topically significant. This year we read Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden which I have mentioned before. It was really well written and my heart was heavy reading in it about the realities of trench warfare and the senselessness of killing our fellow men and what men had to do to themselves to be able to do it. I weep for all the precious, sweet young men who served their country and were required to do these horrible things just to survive. I weep far more for those who survived and returned home changed and damaged forever than for those who died. I weep for families torn apart and decimated by war. I weep for the young German and Japanese men who died and I pray for us all. I think there is something very powerful in our whole nation joining together to honour our fallen dead and to pray for peace. I pray for peace. I pray for that the conditions that lead to war to be resolved in other ways. Isn't it truy insane that in the 21st century, we are still killing each other to get our way? I pray that my boy will never be called upon to do what others have done and even still do for our country. I pray to be better at having peace in my own home. I pray for kindness and understanding and acceptance. I pray for the whole world to understand that it is the power of love that heals and changes.

First I want to complain...

Then I will post another post with other ideas I want to share. But just so you are warned, I'm complaining. About my period. This peri-menopause is for the.... birds? I used to have totally predictable, if not enjoyable, periods which has all disappeared this last year. It used to be spot, spot, trickle, normal flow, deluge, deluge, normal flow, trickle, spot and last for 7 days from start to finish with 3 weeks in between before the next one started. Now when they start is totally unpredictable could be 3 weeks could be 4 weeks or, more often, it could be 2 weeks (as I have mentioned before!) Well this last one (which is still going after a week) started with a wee trickle, trickle that went on for days. I thought that maybe I was going to get to experience these light periods I have heard about from others. Then yesterday - the day I had to sit all day in the Farmer's Market, it comes - SUPER DELUGE - the biggest deluge I have EVER had in my life!!! While I am stuck all day at the Farmer's Market and using super tampons and night time pads that I have to change every hour and still getting blood on my pants and some on the chair. (how embarrassing!) Then last night despite precautions, - ALL over my bed! Like that hasn't happened to me in YEARS - DECADES! And this after just having my period 2 weeks previously. How can my body have so much blood after such a short time?!?!! *sigh* and they say perimenopause goes on for about 10 years. TEN YEARS! I can't even think about it!

Today I crocheted 6 hats and made 16 batches of peanut brittle which amounts to 32 300gram boxes (there'd be more if my family didn't nibble quite so much >:-[ ) Its 2:30 in the morning. I just have to print out the lables for the boxes and afix them - well, actually, I could probably take them with me. I'm doing the Christmas Farmer's Market to sell my hats and peanut brittle. I'm doing it with my friend (old neighbour) who knits slippers. Anyways, I'm really tired but here are two more hats that Kaetlyn modelled for me for my catalogue.

More hats

November 7, 1993

Today my boy is 12 and at 5'10" and with a moustache and deep voice, I think I have to face the fact that my boy is pretty near a man! It is such an amazing thing how they grow from less than a speck inside of you and then they just don't stop, they grow and grow and grow. And it all happens so fast. I can remember being like Sarah with it all ahead of me, wondering what it would all turn out like (I never imagined this, that's for sure!) and wondering what it would be like to be a mom, thinking that I knew. And now I have a son who is taller than me. It is an awesome thing to consider.

Drew's birth was a very healing experience for me. I had him at home with a midwife who was a member and a friend and just incredible. In fact, Drew is now sleeping on the futon he was born on. Weird, eh? (don't worry, it had a shower sheet over it - which I also still have saved in the bottom of my linen closet - just can't throw it away...) The midwife is also the one who really got me onto homeschooling which I started just one week before Andrew was born. Wonderful memories.

We had our family birthday dinner tonight. Erin and Justin came up. Drew ordered burritos from the family kitchen which I had to look up a recipe to make as I had never actually made burritos before. They were quite good. I think I will make them again - very filling. But I think I would make my own refried beans from black beans instead of kidney beans which agree more with my digestion tract, if you know what I mean. We had ice cream cake from Dairy Queen for dessert. His birthday present from Dean and I is his guitar. Erin and Justin got him an X-Box and Kaetlyn and Rhiannon haven't got him their gifts yet. He's going to have 2 parties so that way I don't have too many boys in the house at once. He's going to have a daytime party for his 4 friends around here (who are hyper and loud and I am not too fond of having in the house...) and then a sleep over party with a couple of more sedate friends from Coldstream by where we used to live. That way he gets his big 12 year old celebration and I will actually live through it. Because I don't think I could live through a house full of boys. No, I don't think I could. Imagine being Karen and not being able to send them home... 5 boys all the time...

Anyway, that is my day. Andrew is happy. X-Box made his day.

Hats

They are more like toques only fancier than toques. Here are some pics of the latest ones that I took with Erin's camera. I've actually compiled a catalogue. Rhiannon has inheritted the giant head so this hat could actually fit a small adult head. The others are a medium adult and a large adult.

Longing for my home

Last night Dean and Rhiannon and I went to see a Gary Fjellgaard and Valdy concert up at OC (Okanagan College for the uninitiated) lecture theater. Dean had got the tickets for free because of his article that he did for the paper. We were right in the front row which wouldn't have been my first choice but it turned out to be an excellent place to sit - especially as I could stretch my legs out (and Laura knows how I get when I can't...). It was a really wonderful show. They were great entertainers - telling the stories that went with the songs and joking around. The music was soothing and the accoustics were perfect. I loved it. I love live music (especially live music that doesn't burst your ear drums).

As they sang all these songs of small towns and communities, I longed for my home - the place I consider my home town - Terrace. I am sure it doesn't help that Drew and I are reading a novel set in Haida Gwaii that describes the scenery up there in lush detail. After all these years, my heart aches for that place. It was so incredibly beautiful - the energy of nature was stronger than the energy of man (if that makes sense). It was still so wild and natural. I long to be there. Truly, if I could, I would move back in a second. My teen age years in Terrace were a gift. I had great teachers, good friends, good community. Some day I will return, I think. Whenever I go back up there (which hasn't been often - only three times since I left when I was 16 and one of those was for my grad) it is always hard to leave. I want to stay. It still feels like home to me. And none of my kids have ever seen it. I want to take them all to my 25 year grad reunion in 2008. Of course none of my friends (close ones, anyway) live there any more but I still love the place and the feeling of the community there. I think it was a good place for Doug too. He probably suffered more than me because he had to spend both grade 11 and 12 away from there. He had such good friends and we had friends in common. The best time he and I ever had together was there in our Theatre Arts class that we took together and with our mutual friends. We started to like each other then.

Ah nostalgia! This one never goes away for me, it always comes back. I don't miss any place like I miss Terrace.

I am busy making my hats. I make at least 3 a day. I made myself a little catalogue. I'll scan in a picture or two for you later.

Not as Exciting

Well, after Katie's blog - so suspenseful! - can anything else compete?! :-p What a story! And I really like the way Katie wrote it.

Well, nothing so exciting here. We had a fun Halloween. Luckily Rhiannon recovered in time. She had a nap and woke up totally recovered. We went trick-or-treating in the mall at 4:30, then came home and the kids went out around here. There were lots of houses who weren't doing Halloween. Sad. But Kaetlyn and Drew persisted. Kaetly went as a 50's chick and drew was a hippie. He started as a ninja with a costume that Erin made him but he didn't like the hood so he changed to a hippie which he was last year. Rhiannon was supposed to be a princess but changed a the last second to a tiger.

Anyways, Rhiannon got tired after only a little trick-or-treating - she hadn't had much to eat since being sick so her and I went home only to get home and realize that Kaetlyn had the house key (Dean was taxi-ing Erin around for work). So we trick-or-treated right close to our house and our cats (Tigger and Sheebah) followed us to every house. People would be afraid that they would sneak in their doors but they were just following us. Eventually Dean got home with the pizza (a Halloween tradition) and we got into the house. Kaetlyn and Drew were home shortly thereafter with their haul and we had pizza and they marvelled over their candy.

Then we went out to Coldstream where we used to live and trick-or-treated our old neighbours who always love to see the kids and then went to the fireworks/bonfire on the beach of Kal Lake. The fire was huge and the fireworks were spectacular - I love the ones that go under water and then pop up. Then home for excited candy eating and eventually bed. Dean stayed at home to hand out candy. We didn't really get alot of kids. We ate more of our candy then we handed out.

Some weird Halloween things: I actually had adults come trick-or-treating to the door! Two young mom's with a baby in a stroller only the mom's held out bags for themselves, too. And really, the baby is eating candy?! Then we had 2 teen age girls ring our bell at 10:21pm! I told them all my kids were in bed and we weren't handing out candy any more. Honestly!

So that was Halloween. Next I have a Famer's Market thing coming up next Thursday that I will be selling my hats and peanut brittle at along with my old neighbour who knits slippers. Today is busy. Rhiannon has a make up lesson for piano in 45 minutes and then we have a homeschooling activity at 1 and then I have clients at 6!

Whew!